1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable electronic devices and docking stations for docking such devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanism that improves docking by using a rotational movement to generate a compressive force for engaging docking connectors on the portable electronic device and docking station, while reducing frictional forces on the connectors. The present invention further relates to a portable electronic device and docking station that uses a magnetic force to retain the portable electronic device against a support surface of the docking station and to increase the compressive force applied to docking connector to achieve a more reliable electrical connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion within this section.
Portable personal computers (PCs), including tablet PCs, laptop computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), allow computer users to utilize many of the functions of a personal computer while facilitating freedom of movement about the workplace. Particularly, tablet PCs can offer a very high level of mobility and flexibility to the user. Tablet PCs are often used in the medical profession, where a doctor or nurse can use the tablet PC in place of a pen and paper. The tablet PC allows users to easily update files electronically while also recording data on a single device and moving from point to point. Tablet PCs are also common in manufacturing and warehouse environments, where users benefit from being able to remain mobile and use a single device to electronically record data from many locations for the purposes of keeping track of inventory, performing inspections and managing workloads.
Portable computers are generally lightweight and compact, but may compare unfavorably to desktop computers in some respects because they are generally equipped with smaller keyboards and displays. Further, some portable computers may not have a keyboard, mouse, printer ability, local area network (LAN) connection, or an optical drive. To overcome these shortcomings, many portable computer users connect their computer to a docking station when using their computer in an office environment. The docking station can equip the portable computer with most of the characteristics of a desktop computer. For example, a docking station typically has a power source to charge the battery of the portable computer in addition to numerous ports that provide connectivity to local area networks and peripheral devices, such as optical drives, monitors, display screens, speakers, printers, keyboards, and mice. In addition to portable computers, other portable electronic devices such as smart phones, portable music players (e.g., an mp3 player), e-readers, netbooks, etc. may utilize docking stations for providing power, charging batteries or providing connectivity to networks or peripherals.
In some cases, a user may initiate a docking session by establishing a physical (wired) connection between the docking station and the portable electronic device or computer, usually by engaging corresponding connectors of the portable computer and docking station. When the physical connection is made between the portable computer and the docking station, the docking station provides the portable computer with access to the necessary ports and any connected peripheral devices. In many cases, the interface between a docking station and a portable computer is a specialized, self-aligning high-pin count connector assembly. Because of the complexity and repeated mechanical connection and disconnection of this connector, the connector is susceptible to fatigue related failure. Docking connectors may also be damaged by frictional forces that occur during docking when a portable electronic device or computer is slid into a receptacle of a docking station.
Once aligned and docked, the portable computer is typically latched to the docking station to retain the portable computer on a surface of the docking station. This mechanical latch is needed to reliably retain the portable computer when the docking station is made pivotable to provide multiple viewing angles, or if the docking station is used in a vehicular environment. While it does have the ability to retain and align the portable computer onto a surface of the docking station, the mechanical latch often involves a complex mechanism that requires an extra step to disengage before the portable computer can be removed from the docking station.
A need, therefore, remains for an improved mechanism that not only assists in aligning and engaging the docking connectors of the portable computer and docking station, but also reliably retains the portable computer against a surface of the docking station at all viewing angles and in all environments. Such a mechanism would greatly simplify the docking station by omitting the complex mechanical latch mechanism, and reduce the number of steps the user has to perform to dock and undock the portable electronic device.